I'd like to see the eyes of some of the squids when you pass them on their croch rockets wit the C-14!

WE post rides here all the time. My friend Mark and I are both 52 years old. I have the connie and he rides the ZX14. All the young guys show up and think they are going to eat our lunch. But when we hit CR87 and turn everyone loose , the next thing they know, their getting passed by two old farts. When everyone get's to the end of the road and we're waiting on them. The first thing out of their mounth is WOW I didn't know that connie would run like that. It's the PERFECT sleeper .

We've got a pretty big group going to the track from Pensacola so it should be a good time

Awesome! You guys are going to have a blast. I have yet to ride the new track at NOLA, and would love to hear some feedback about your experience there.

Seven hours to prep the bike for the track? What all did you do to it? My standard approach to prepping a street bike for the track is to pull the light fuses (if necessary), tape the blinkers, head and brake lights, and tape or remove the license plate. A quick check of the drain bolt and fluid caps, and all is well. A quick check of the oil drain bolt and fluid caps, and all is well.

Awesome! You guys are going to have a blast. I have yet to ride the new track at NOLA, and would love to hear some feedback about your experience there.

Seven hours to prep the bike for the track? What all did you do to it? My standard approach to prepping a street bike for the track is to pull the light fuses (if necessary), tape the blinkers, head and brake lights, and tape or remove the license plate. A quick check of the drain bolt and fluid caps, and all is well. A quick check of the oil drain bolt and fluid caps, and all is well.

Good luck out there, and have a blast!

The connie is a little different. Had to pull both sides of the cowling to get to the radiator and spill over tank.

Pull cowlingDrain Fluids and fill with water wetterReinstall Cowling .Remove windshield and install race shield .check tires and prep 30PSITape up all plastic lighting. Pull fusesCheck sag again 31MM Paint tape lol Got to look gud for the video. Go over the complete bike to make sure all is good

it took me some time. Next time I will already have the fluids ready. Im leaving the water wetter in. the bike runs a lot cooler with it. I did hear the track is nice... but I don't like the flatness of the track. I like hills and dells. Up and down . We shall see. The weather is going to break and its going to be nice all weekend. Will give a total report when I get back. Lap times especially . Let's see what the connies can do

Make it up to Road Atlanta sometime. It's my favorite track. I liked Barber too, but it was a much more technical track...IMO. Hills and dells at both of them.

My track prep consists of swapping front plastics, swapping rear plastics, and I end up with the first pic. And before you give me grief about my "problems", it wasn't as bad as what the other guy did to his Ducati 1098. My bike only cost 2500. his was 14k. I'da been sick!

The connie is a little different. Had to pull both sides of the cowling to get to the radiator and spill over tank.

Pull cowlingDrain Fluids and fill with water wetterReinstall Cowling .Remove windshield and install race shield .check tires and prep 30PSITape up all plastic lighting. Pull fusesCheck sag again 31MM Paint tape lol Got to look gud for the video. Go over the complete bike to make sure all is good

it took me some time. Next time I will already have the fluids ready. Im leaving the water wetter in. the bike runs a lot cooler with it. I did hear the track is nice... but I don't like the flatness of the track. I like hills and dells. Up and down . We shall see. The weather is going to break and its going to be nice all weekend. Will give a total report when I get back. Lap times especially . Let's see what the connies can do

Yeah, the local track day organizations around here will let you on the track with regular 50/50 coolant, but I know that there are some organizations in other parts that only allow distilled water and Water Wetter. I don't even pull the fuses on the SV anymore, since the lights are completely taped up anyway.

Anyway, be safe and have a blast! We expect pics and/or video, along with a full report! ;-)

I did some heavy thinking and decided not to take the C14 to the track. I have a friend that let me use his bike and I had a blast. I loved it so much I decided to sell my connie and get another bike that was more to my riding style . The bike I have is in to good a shape right now with lots of extras to I figured it would be best to sell it before it hit the 10K mark. So im putting it up for sale.

Yep, it is more than worth it. When I first started riding on the track, I did so very reluctantly, and mostly to be able to check it off my list. It just seemed like something for juvenile adrenaline junkies and racers, with the only point being to be able to go as fast as one wanted. Never did I expect to find track days to be the intensely useful riding clinics that they turned out to be, with solid group structure and plenty of professional instructors. It really has completely changed the way I ride.

Regardless of your type of bike and preferred riding style, a single track day will improve your riding more than an entire year of riding on the street!

I think you made a wise decision Trouble. Although the Connie would have been fun, it does have it's limits on the track.

Make another good decision and keep the Connie for the streets and get a second bike for the track. Almost any year sportbike should be fine for tracking and there are plenty of bikes in the $3-4K range that would not break the bank.

Almost any year sportbike should be fine for tracking and there are plenty of bikes in the $3-4K range that would not break the bank.

Agreed. For most tracks and mortal riders, smaller displacement sport bikes tend to be the most fun. Ninja 250R, SV650, Ninja 650R, are all a hoot on the track, and are available for around $2-3k or less.

I decided not to for several reasons. First and foremost. it's addictive as hell. I loved it and im 52 years old. But I also know me and I know I would keep pushing it until I hurt myself. You are right about learning though. I learned more in those two days than I would of learned in years. I would love to do track days but im not giving up my connie. I thought about it all day and I love this bike. And track days cost $$$$400 a weekend. Who has $500 every three months to throw around . Then there's bike and tire cost. I could go to a lot of beautiful places for the same cost. Sometimes it's time to STOP and think ! I went from level one to level two in two days. I learned so much . But I could already tell it would get old pretty fast. Just flying around a track, whats the goal ? To finely push it so far till you low side or worse ? I think I might better get my wits about me and find some touring friends and stay away from that track. I was actually going to buy a GSXR this evening for $2500 and use it to race with. I know the guy that owns it. I think I would rather have a ZRX 1200 and tinker with that and go to track day's maybe three times a year . what do you think . . .

Here's the full story. I took my connie. I ran it in the Level 1 Saturday. I pulled it out and said NO ! enough with my connie. My friend let me ride his GSXR 1000 Sunday in Level II . I thought about it long and hard Saturday evening and decided not to run it . Decided to put it up for sale and thought about it today and pulled out on selling it. I love my connie to much. She's totally amazing.

But here's what I can tell you about the C14. It impressed everyone and made a lot of people mad when I passed them. I had the suspension set by a professional and was amazed at how the bike handled on the track. I learned a lot about the c14 and how it overtook a lot of bikes. don't ever let anyone tell you the C14 wont hold it's own on the track, because it DID ! I rode the GSXR the second day and I didn't like it as much as the connie. Mine had more grunt . The GSXR had massive top end and cornering and stopping power. it was a fantastic weekend for sure and I would advise it to anyone for a one time thing to learn. But I think Im going to back off and find some "spirited" connie riders. :-)

First you posted that you didn't bring the bike down to NOLA but borrowed a ZX-10

You then posted that you were selling the bike.

You deleted those posts and then changed the story to you bringing your C14 down there, tracking for the first day and then switching bikes on the second day.

You also changed from borrowing a ZX-10 to a GSXR 1000.

You've spent the last six months trash talking anyone who disagrees with you about about racing on public roadways VS using the bike as it was intended - as a touring machine and now you plan on "getting your wits" and "finding some touring friends".

They took a video when I was on the C14. It's supposed to be here by mail on a CD this week they said. They shot me for two laps . Even on the C14 , it was a blast. I learned so much . Went to level 1 and 2 . As soon as I get the videos in I will be happy to post them. In fact, MORE than heppy EnsoniqDude« on: Today at 08:59:17 AM » Insert Quote

FYI - I took the Connie Friend let me use his GSXR Sunday I wanted to purchase a ZX10 , or was wanted to trade my C14 and buy . Put the C14 up for sale and decided not to . Canceled on a purchase of a 2003 GSXR yesterday . Stopped the add about the sale of my C14 Decided to go a different direction

First you posted that you didn't bring the bike down to NOLA but borrowed a ZX-10

You then posted that you were selling the bike.

You deleted those posts and then changed the story to you bringing your C14 down there, tracking for the first day and then switching bikes on the second day.

You also changed from borrowing a ZX-10 to a GSXR 1000.

You've spent the last six months trash talking anyone who disagrees with you about about racing on public roadways VS using the bike as it was intended - as a touring machine and now you plan on "getting your wits" and "finding some touring friends".

Get the GSXR and have fun with it when you can afford it. You only live once, and at 52 you aint gonna get any younger. You have SPEED in your blood, and the best way to scratch that itch is at the track. If you are truly worried about getting hurt you should stay off motorcycles all together. If you are running as hard on the street as you say you are, an accident there is likely to be worse than a wreck at the track.

The above is my own justification for owning two bikes. Been doing 2-3 trackdays/year for the past 6 years. Always have fun. Met some great guys with a similar passion at the track. And the best part of all.....I have pulled back the speed on the street. When that itch gets overwhelming I call some friends and make a plan to do a trackday rather than going out and being an irresponsible citizen on the street.

I am not judging you. Merely offering up a plan that works for me as I think we are somewhat alike. My motto is......ride, have fun, be safe. These three things do not have to be mutually exclusive. I hope you can find a balance you can live with.